Tariq Krim, founder of Linux netbook OS maker, Jolicloud , said Chrome OS's 100% Web orientation -- users won't be able to install applications locally, though they may be able to run some of the Web apps offline using HTML 5 technology -- is premature.
"Native apps aren't dead yet," Krim said. "I love VLC [media player], I love Skype, I love using OpenOffice.org on the airplane when I don't have Wi-Fi access."
Other rivals said they welcomed Chrome OS. Jim Zemlin, executive director of The Linux Foundation, said, "What's good for Chrome is good for Moblin, and what's good for Moblin is good for Chrome."
The Linux Foundation oversees the Moblin netbook OS , created originally by Intel Corp., as well as the Linux kernel itself. "Many of the technologies present in Chrome originated in the Moblin Project. For example, Moblin pioneered fast boot technology," Zemlin said by e-mail.
But not everyone will benefit, he said. "The real loser today is Microsoft. Shared development accelerates time to market and innovation, bringing better products to consumers and better returns to companies."
Canonical Ltd., maker of the popular Ubuntu Linux, revealed today that it has been contributing engineers and developers to Chrome OS .
Canonical said it is unafraid of potential cannibalization. "While the two operating systems share some core components, Google Chrome OS will provide a very different experience to Ubuntu," wrote Chris Kenyon, Canonical's vice-president for OEM services.
"Ubuntu will continue to be a general-purpose OS running both Web and native applications such as OpenOffice and will not require specialized hardware," he said.